Projects

Ripley’s Aquarium

Completion: October 07, 2013

Location: Toronto

Total Construction Value: $150,000,000

Size: 135000 sq. ft.

At 135,000 square feet, Ripley’s Aquarium in Toronto is one of the largest aquariums in North America, housing more than 13,500 sea and freshwater creatures in 5.7-million litres of water. The main exhibit has a tropical reef tank as well as Great Lakes exhibits and Atlantic and Pacific habitats. An acrylic tunnel cuts a 96-metre-long swath through the “shark lagoon,” a habitat occupied by sand tiger sharks, sawfish, and dozens of other species. Visitors can step on and off a moving walkway that runs the length of the tunnel, the longest structure of its kind in North America.

Mechanical Systems

Ripley’s Aquarium has a sophisticated mechanical infrastructure:

  • A chiller plant produces chilled water used by the HVAC systems and the LSS heat exchangers.
  • A gas-fired boiler plant serves the heating system and provides hot water to the LSS heat.
  • A constant volume air system maintains high air exchange rates in exhibit and staff spaces.
  • The acrylic tunnel has a dedicated 100% outdoor air single zone constant volume system.
  • Other mechanical services include low pressure natural gas, domestic and non-potable cold water, and a sanitary sewer and storm drainage system.

Project Highlights

The aquarium’s indoor environment is regulated using direct digital controls and a computerized energy management system (EMS). The EMS is accessed via an operator workstation located in the central control room, and offers secure web interfacing capability for remote monitoring and control.